The next morning, Joshua got up and changed the woman's bandages, making sure to wash out the gashes in the process. He injected another Stimpak into her gunshot wound, which was just about healed close, and again checked her pulse. It was steady, but slow. The woman recovered rather quickly, but must have not had enough energy to awaken. Her gashes were still a bit raw, but they seemed to have shrunk overnight. He had a feeling she wouldn't be awake for another day or so.

"Oh no, I almost forgot to change my bandages."

Joshua walked over to Angel cave and took off his current bandages. The moment he exposed himself to the air, he felt immense pain. It was similar to the pain he had endured four years ago, when Caesar had him coated in pitch and lit on fire for the loss at the Battle of Hoover Dam. He moved quickly so that the pain wouldn't last as long, but even so it hurt him immensely.

Joshua sighed as he finally finished wrapping the last of the fresh bandages, which were around his head. He disposed of the old bandages into a pot, where he would take the contents and burn them later. After taking care of that, he walked over to his workbench and sat down. It was a bit dark, so he lit a lantern that had the cave illuminated within seconds.

Joshua worked at his bench for at least an hour before he went to search for Daniel.

"Daniel, shall we go?"

"Yes."

"To the General Store?"

"I don't see why not."

Daniel and Joshua walked away from the Dead Horses camp and followed the Virgin river until they got to the Zion General Store. It was an abandoned Pre-War store that stood near the river and was against a rock wall. Joshua walked inside of the store and looked around, Daniel following him in.

"What are we looking for again?"

"Glasses."

"But aren't hers a different prescription?"

"Most people nowadays use the same kind of prescription, Daniel. If they need a different one, they'll have to search for other glasses across the wasteland. Hopefully these work. I'll replace both of her lenses just in case."

"Why not just give her these and throw out her own?"

Daniel held out red rimmed glasses with clear lenses.

"She might not feel comfortable with new ones."

"If you say so."

"Just take them anyways. We don't need anything else here."

Both men walked out of the general store and then ran into two White Legs. Joshua grabbed his pistol that was in its holster and pulled it out, ready to fight.

"Die where you stand!" Joshua said as he aimed at one of the White Legs' heads.

The two White Legs tried to shoot at Joshua and Daniel with their submachine guns, but weren't fast enough to react. Both fell within minutes after gunshots to the head.

"Good riddance." Daniel said.

"Let's head back. We have to check up on the Sorrows too."

"About that," Daniel said.

Joshua cocked his head.

"What is it, Daniel?"

"There is an issue I have regarding Waking Cloud. You see, I don't know how I will be able to tell her that her husband is dead."

"I see. And her children?"

"They're alive." Daniel replied.

"Well when you see her, I suggest you tell her the truth."

"I'll try. I just don't want to hurt her feelings or anything, as I'll be the bearer of bad news and all."

"Better to tell the truth than to lie to her." Joshua said.

"Alright."

Both walked along with their weapons still out, carefully looking around at each rock and tree, making sure there weren't any other White Legs lurking about.

"Argh!"

Joshua accidentally stepped into a bear trap that he had hidden earlier in the water.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I just didn't see where I was going."

"Is your foot okay?"

Joshua shrugged Daniel off.

"Yes, yes. I'll be fine, Daniel. There's nothing that cool water on your feet won't fix."

"Alright, Joshua."

It was almost noon. The sun was set in the middle of the sky, which did not bear any clouds. How strange, Joshua thought, it's not raining as frequently. Joshua and Daniel continued along the Virgin river for another half hour until they got back to the Dead Horses camp.

"The woman!" Joshua gasped as he ran over near his bed.

It seemed that the woman was still unconscious, but today she had color to her skin. Joshua could see a healthy pink glow in her skin, unlike the pallid tone she had when she was bleeding to death not too long ago. He touched her neck to get her pulse and thankfully found it to be normal.

"Do you think she is fully recovered?" Daniel asked.

"I can't say. Her pulse is normal. For all I know, she is just sleeping peacefully right now."

"When do you think she will awaken?"

"I'm not sure." Joshua said, as he took off her blanket and checked her gunshot wound. It was now healed closed and the scar that was left behind was a soft pink color. He wasn't sure if she healed fast because of the use of Stimpaks or anything else, but Joshua was glad the woman looked better.

"Well, I'm heading out to the Sorrows' camp, Joshua."

"Alright. Do be careful."

Joshua pulled out his bible, which was under his pillow and began reading. For some reason, every time he read the bible he felt comforted. It temporarily took away the trauma he felt from he was made an example of four years ago. He could still see it, even when he closed his eyes. The fire, the flames, the unforgiving heat as it charred his flesh and seared into his skin. Joshua vividly remembered when Caesar, his most trusted companion, coldly ordered his men to tie him up and did nothing when he cried out in pain and begged for forgiveness.

"No!"

Joshua shuddered and shut his bible.

Just then, he felt immense wrath building up inside. It made him want to tear flesh apart so that he could restore his wounded vanity. No, he thought, I'm not like that. But deep down, Joshua still harbored a dark and aggressive hunger for violence and revenge. He knew that even in combat, he was far from showing any mercy to anyone who tried to harm him or the people he cared about. That was what had made him a fearful and influential warlord to the Dead Horses.

Joshua laid back and closed his eyes, not wanting to think or feel anything. He just wanted to have some sort of peace of mind. Already he knew he wouldn't ever have peace in his heart, but he nevertheless still tried. As much as he wanted to slaughter Caesar and his devout followers, he knew that if he did so mercilessly that he would spend eternity burning in hell. He was the Burned Man for crying out loud, why should he burn more? Besides, he wanted to be redeemed by God's grace.

Since laying down on the ground proved too brittle and uncomfortable for Joshua, he got up and walked over to the cave to get the woman's clothes. He had forgotten to wash them the previous day, and grabbed the Abraxo cleaner he had left on his workbench by the clothes and then walked back outside towards the river. The stains were still a dark brown, so he covered them in Abraxo until they were white and powdery and began to scrub them harshly. Joshua scrubbed out the vault suit until it was completely clean, and then wrung it after he was finished rinsing it out. He walked away from the river and hung it on the same branch where he had left his sheets. So he grabbed his sheets, which were now dry, and then walked over to his bed so that he could begin putting them on.

Joshua looked over at the woman who was opposite him. She seemed to still be unconscious, but at least he could hear her breathing normally. He wondered what kind of a person she was. Would she be another pompous and stupidly inexperienced city oriented scientist like the many that had wandered into Zion Canyon? Or was she here on some sort of mission to try to establish a new settlement? Joshua decided he would think about it tomorrow, or whenever the woman woke up. He had many questions for her. Once he finished neatly tucking in his sheets, he plopped down onto his back and placed his hands behind his head. As he lay there, Joshua's eyelids fluttered closed and soon he fell into a deep sleep.